1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to oiling burning heating devices commonly known as oil burners, and more particularly to adjustable electrodes for oil burner ignition systems. The present invention electrodes are adjustable relative to one another for gap setting and resetting of gaps, and are adjustable for loss compensation of electrode tips due to burn out over time.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
The following patents are representative of the state of the art as to oil burner combustion systems specifically, and electrodes in general:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,071,800 describes a three electrode plasma flame ignition device, the first electrode surrounds the second electrode and the first and second electrodes define between them an annular gap across which the potential from a first source can be discharged, and the third electrode is surrounded by the second electrode and is so arranged that a higher potential applied to it discharges in series across a gap between the third electrode and the second electrode and radially across the annular gap between the second electrode and the first electrode.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,081,233 describes a combustion device of the type for atomizing liquid fuel by an ultrasonic atomizer and mixing the atomized fuel particles with air for combustion. A first air passage is defined around a horn of the ultrasonic atomizer by an inner cylinder, and a second air passage is defined around the first air passage by the inner cylinder and an outer cylinder. The air flowing through the first air passage is discharged into a cylindrical combustion section substantially in parallel with the axis thereof while the air flowing through the second air passage is swirled in the direction substantially tangential to the inner wall of the combustion section and discharged toward the atomizing surface of the horn, whereby the satisfactory mixing of the atomized fuel particles with the combustion air may be attained and the flame may be optimally stabilized.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,108 describes a combustion apparatus having an ignition means, a plurality of first swirl vanes positioned at the upstream end of a flame retention head creates a helical primary air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber of the retention head that ignites into a primary flame vortex. A second plurality of vanes mounted on the inner walls of the retention head shears the outer portions of the primary flame vortex into a plurality of secondary helical flame vortexes disposed about the perimeter of the primary flame vortex. The secondary flame vortexes are opposite in rotational orientation to the direction of rotation of the primary flame vortex. Secondary air is injected into the combustion chamber at the area of shearing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,472,136 describes a four-stage flame retention head assembly for use in the air pipe of a fuel burner having a fuel nozzle mounted coaxially within the air pipe. This assembly comprises an outwardly diverging flame retention head mounted in the air pipe in front of the fuel nozzle. This head successively defines, starting from its smaller end, an air-and-fuel mixture chamber; a first inwardly open expansion chamber; a throttle section and an outwardly convex section defining a second expansion chamber. A primary air inlet annular plate is mounted transversely at the inlet end of the head and has a central opening circumscribed by a continuous annulus. The latter has a series of air inlet apertures and louvers over the apertures, the latter and the louvers causing swirling of the air as it enters into the mixing chamber. The first and the second expansion chambers are provided with circumferentially spaced air apertures to pass air into the retention head to sustain combustion therein as well as to cool the head.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,791,734 describes a tool for setting the width of a space between the tips of a pair of burner ignition electrodes so that an electrical spark will jump this gap, and the axial and radial distances of these tips forward of the center of a fuel nozzle outlet so that fuel discharged by the nozzle will be ignited smoothly and will not cause carbon deposits to build up on the tips. The nozzle is removably threaded in a threaded opening of a fuel supply pipe and is replaced by the tool during the setting operation. The tool has a threaded shank and a stop flange for supporting and positioning an annular groove of the tool so as to receive and set the ends of the electrode tips in the correct position. The groove is in an annular face formed by a shoulder of the tool and has an annular face formed by a shoulder of the tool and has an outer wall for holding the ends of radially extending electrode tips in the groove as the tool is rotated into a seated position in the fuel supply pipe opening.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,571 describes an oil combustion system for burning waste oil in which oil is pumped by an oil transfer pump from an oil reservoir through a buoyant swirling filter. The oil is supplied to a high pressure input of a pressure reducing fitting, and is transmitted through the fitting to a low pressure output and a high pressure output. A siphon nozzle head is operable to siphon the oil from the low pressure output of the fitting, to preheat the oil, to atomize the oil and to output the atomized oil. Retention chambers and heat transfer plugs within the nozzle head facilitate preheating of the oil and perform a baffle function.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,741 describes an igniter plug that has a tubular metallic shell and an annular ground electrode each connected in a series by an interfitting, and fixed by welding. The igniter plug further has a tubular insulator placed within both the metallic shell and the ground electrode, while a center electrode is placed within the insulator to be surrounded by the ground electrode. A plurality of lock arms are provided with a front end of the metallic shell, and each top end of lock arms has a pawl which is brought into an engagement with an inner surface of the ground electrode when the metallic shell and the ground electrode are connected, and at the same time, the insulator is brought into an engagement with an inner side of each lock arm to deter the lock arms from being flexed inwardly when the insulator is placed.
Notwithstanding the prior art, the present invention is neither taught nor rendered obvious thereby.
The present invention is directed to an adjustable electrode for oil burners. This electrode includes an elongated main electrode, an electrode tip support member and an electrode tip.
The elongated main electrode has a conductive core element and has an outer end and an inner end. The inner end is adapted for connection to an electrical path of a source of electrical power, and the outer end has an electrode tip support member conductively connected to it. The support member has a central axis and has an electrode tip-receiving orifice therethrough at a predetermined angle relative to the central axis. Additionally, the support member has a locking mechanism for locking the elongated electrode tip in the orifice and for unlocking the elongated electrode tip for adjustment in and removal from the orifice.
In some preferred embodiments of the present invention adjustable electrode, the elongated main electrode includes a midportion insulator that surrounds it. This insulator may be cylindrical for ease of installation of the electrode.
The elongated main electrode itself may have any cross sectional, configuration or combination of configurations, although cylindrical and flat stock is commonly used for electrodes. In one preferred embodiment, the main electrode is a flat sheet electrode, and this affords a flat inner end for plug, clip or slide in connection to the electrical power supply wiring or path. In other embodiments, the electrode inner end may be adapted for direct wiring rather than for connection to a fixed connector.
The present invention adjustable electrode for oil burners has a support member locking mechanism that may utilize any known or available locking mechanism, including, but not limited to, a swivel latch, a set screw locking mechanism, a cam-based locking mechanism, or a spring-based locking mechanism.
While the support member for the electrode tip, in preferred embodiments, is connected directly to said outer end of said elongated main electrode, there could be conductive intermediary fittage, without exceeding the scope of the present invention, although direct, physical contact and assemblage is preferred.
The electrode tips of the present invention are electrode rods of predetermined length adapted to be removably mounted within the support member and are made of any appropriate conductive electrode material, such as nickel-silver electrode alloy, and may be of any appropriate size for the application, e.g., 0.080 inch diameter stock. Other sizes and materials of construction are within the purview of the artisan.
The present invention is also directed to an oil combustion system for oil burners. It includes: (1) an oil inlet for connection to an oil supply; (2) a pump connected upstream to the oil inlet and downstream to an oil spray mechanism and nozzle; (3) an oil spray mechanism and nozzle connected to the pump and adapted to spray oil in a predetermined pattern for combustion; (4) a pair of adjustable electrodes having a spark gap therebetween and being located adjacent the nozzle for providing a spark for ignition and combustion of oil sprayed from the nozzle, each of the pair of adjustable electrodes being as described above.